It doesn’t come close to the all-consuming ‘in a row’ obsession of their opponents but St Johnstone have a special history-making number they are striving to reach at Parkhead tomorrow.
A Saints win or draw will break a Perth club record for the longest unbeaten run as a top flight team.
Celtic’s unhealthy 10 fixation appears to be fuelling a 2020 implosion.
For Saints, the hope is that their grounded ambition for a more modest achievement carries them to new heights.
“If it’s one more game for the record then that’s certainly some added motivation to go and try to make it number 11,” said defender Callum Booth.
“It’s obviously going to be a tough match but we are in the best form we’ve been in for a long time. So if there’s a good time to go to Celtic Park, it’s certainly now.
“Celtic are also struggling – you can’t get away from that fact. So it could be a good time to go there because of that as well.
“This is probably the biggest crisis they’ve been in for a long time. For the last nine years they have been so dominant and such a hard team to play against.
“But they still have millions of pounds of talent across their team and up front especially.”
Booth added: “So much has been made of Celtic but we have to focus on ourselves.
“When you look at it on paper, people will see us on a good run and them not on a good run.
“All in all, it’s as good a time as any to go there and if we can play like we did against them at home earlier in the season then we’ll give ourselves a chance.”
There are plenty of players in the Saints squad with experience of beating Celtic but Booth isn’t one of them.
He has lost to the Glasgow giants 10 times with Partick Thistle, twice as a Hibs player and once in the blue and white of Saints.
A solitary Jags draw is as good as it has got.
“I think they are the only team I haven’t had a win against,” said Booth. “Hopefully that can change on Sunday.”
The former Dundee United left-back started Saints’ first two Premiership games of the season but it has been substitute run-outs and cup games since then.
“It’s been a little bit stop-start for myself with a couple of wee niggles here and there and obviously the boys have been playing well,” said Booth.
“So I’ve just had to bide my time. I think that’s where the cup games in the middle of the season have helped a few of us get back to fitness and get some games.
“Keeping motivated and keeping your mood high is no problem to be honest – especially when the boys are on a good run. We’re enjoying training and stuff. You can’t play everyone but I would still say the morale levels are high even for the boys who aren’t playing. We’re all in it together at the moment.”
The fact that they’re facing the champions on the back of arguably their best win of the season – a comeback triumph at Fir Park – won’t hurt Saints’ chances tomorrow.
“An away win like that takes confidence levels to an even higher level,” said Booth. “We were 1-0 down with not so long to go against another SPFL team.
“A lot of boys who hadn’t been playing so much came in – the likes of Shaun Rooney and Michael O’Halloran were brilliant again.
“Throughout the squad, the confidence is really high and we’re on a really good run at the moment.
“Things are definitely going well so here’s hoping we can continue that on Sunday.”
Against Motherwell, Booth had David Wotherspoon in front of him, reuniting a left-side of the pitch combination that goes back to Hibs academy days.
“We were in the same Hibs team that won the league and cup double,” he said. “He came to the club when he was 15.
“I was left-back, he was left midfield.
“I loved playing with him and I still do. You can give him the ball in any area with a couple of players behind him and D is comfortable. He is very good technically.
“Back then he was highly thought of and as soon as John Hughes came in he was in the first team.
“We had a lot of very good players in that Hibs youth team but I think only three of us are still in full-time football.
“Obviously D is one of them and he has had a very good career.
“He has been brilliant for us this season. He is absolutely flying.
“He has hit some good form, he has added goals and he is playing with a lot of confidence.
Booth expects his Saints contract extension through to the end of the season to be confirmed soon.
“I enjoy being here and it will all be sorted in the next couple of days,” he reported.
“We are close to the top six just now so all is good.
“We were playing well at the start of the season without getting the results, but the manager stuck by what he believes in and we’re getting the rewards of that now.”
